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Merychippus californicus
Taxonomy
Merychippus californicus was named by Merriam (1915). Its type specimen is UCMP 21247, a tooth (First superior molar of the left side, M1), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is North Coalinga, which is in a Barstovian terrestrial horizon in the Temblor Formation of California.
It was recombined as Merychippus (Merychippus) californicus by Stirton (1940); it was recombined as Stylonus californicus by Kelly and Lander (1988); it was considered a nomen dubium by Macdonald (1992).
It was recombined as Merychippus (Merychippus) californicus by Stirton (1940); it was recombined as Stylonus californicus by Kelly and Lander (1988); it was considered a nomen dubium by Macdonald (1992).
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1915 | Merychippus californicus Merriam |
| 1918 | Merychippus californicus Osborn p. 121 figs. Text Fig. 96 |
| 1940 | Merychippus (Merychippus) californicus Stirton p. 181 |
| 1956 | Merychippus californicus Downs p. 283 |
| 1988 | Stylonus californicus Kelly and Lander |
| 1995 | Merychippus californicus Kelly |
| 1998 | Merychippus californicus MacFadden p. 547 |
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If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
†Merychippus californicus Merriam 1915
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Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| H. F. Osborn 1918 | (Merriam, 1915) (1) Molars of more slender form than in M. isonesus, otherwise in some respects
similar; (2) protocone separate from protoconule almost to base of crown, connected only in very old, much worn teeth; (3) protocone round [oval] with a slightlateral compression [suboval]; (4) a spur extending toward protoconule; (5) enamel folding moderately complex, approximating that of M. isonesus; (6) superior molars somewhatnarrow in cross section and somewhat more hypsodont than in M. isonesus; (7) type of upper molar leading toward Hipparion; (8) lower cheek teeth closely resembling those of M . isonesus in form and dimensions. |
Measurements
No measurements are available
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| Source: subf = subfamily, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum | |||||
| References: Lillegraven 1979, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Nowak 1991, MacFadden 1998, Ji et al. 2002 | |||||
Age range: base of the Barstovian to the top of the Tortonian or 16.30000 to 7.24600 Ma
Collections (6 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miocene | USA (Nevada) | Merychippus californicus (18922) | |
| Barstovian | USA (Nevada) | Merychippus californicus (19103) | |
| Barstovian | USA (Florida) | Merychippus sp. (18583) | |
| Barstovian | USA (California) | Merychippus californicus (type locality: 19460) | |
| Early/Lower Barstovian - early Late Barstovian | USA (California) | Merychippus californicus (156738) | |
| Tortonian | USA (Florida) | Merychippus californicus (18509) |